Welcome to the first issue of In Orbit. an Astro Advice Column where you can submit question for personal astrological advice or general astrology inquiries. This issue is filled with some juicy tips on how to use your astrology to navigate hard times, and incorporate practices into your daily life. To submit a question for the next Issue click here! 

Question 1:  With the holidays coming up, and. Knowing for some this could be the first big family event since the pandemic how can we use our natal charts to our benefit and what are helpful areas in our chart to look out for to avoid conflicts.

This is such a good question. Thank you!
There are a few areas I would recommend we look at concerning family and any expected drama for the holidays.

The first thing I would recommend doing is looking at the 3rd and 4th house in our natal charts. This could be done with the knowledge you already have or by googling your placement and gathering information there. 

The 3rd House represents our siblings, so the sign and any planets in the 3rd house will serve as a reminder of your relationship with your siblings. This house is also the house of communication and would reveal truths about how you communicate. It is also helpful to look at your natal mercury to remind yourself of the other layers of your natural communication and where you excel or could improve. 

When looking at the 4th house, we understand how we like to be nurtured, nurture others and respond to home and family matters. Identifying specific themes in this house is important because the best way to find peace during the holidays is to understand our patterns and find solutions instead of letting them repeat themselves. The most important thing is recognizing how we like to care for others and communicate our intentions clearly. This is a good point to note because as families may not have gotten together in a while we need to remember that how we care for others may not be the same as our other family members show their love, or accept love. 

By examining these areas, we will remember what we excel at regarding communication, how we prefer to be taken care of, and any truths about our siblings or families and how we relate to them. Write down any fears or limitations you feel after examining them. Then write out a solution. Ultimately we need to remember our truth and individuality to communicate our intentions and thoughts as clearly as possible while getting together with family and trying to avoid any dramatic situations. 

Here is a personal example: 
 Taurus rules my 3rd house of siblings and communication. Taurus is a sign known for advocating for the best, most sustainable path forward. This sign is also recognized for stubbornness, being set in their ways yet being forceful supporters. These themes reflect how I communicate and how I filter my sibling's actions. Knowing this, helps me acknowledge that my siblings and I may be stubborn - so if an argument arises, I can laugh instead of getting frustrated because we are both just trying to get the other to see our point of view. There are different ways in which reflection on the 3rd house can help your psyche find peaceful reminders to navigate the season. My 4th house is ruled by Gemini, which suggests that getting together with family generally generates lots of ideas and conversation. Gemini is also known for being indecisive and noisy = 2 of the things that irritate me most with my family! Recognizing this, I know it is up to me and how I react to these things that are sure to come about and focus on the positive of great conversation and recognize when I need to retreat to recharge my batteries to continue. 

 Question 2: Since there are so many elements in someone's personal astrology to keep in mind, what are 2-3 simple ways you can keep astrology at top of mind in your daily life when working on personal growth for someone who is in a hurry?


Great question! I have applied this question to a typical scenario of dealing with work/life balance since that I what influences me most to tune into my astrology regularly, and hopefully itwill resonate with others! 

1) Connecting with your moon sign and keeping it in mind daily. 

Your moon sign helps you understand your emotional reaction to things. Being able to describe your emotional self can help you understand why you interpret criticism or support a certain way, your initial assumptions and how to adjust them. For example, if your moon is in Aries you likely react to things in extreme ways at first. This would help you acknowledge that you need to practice patience and develop a discipline to think through your reactions before letting a comment or change in plans ruin your day and stress you out. 

2) Connecting with your Mars sign. 
While your moon sign signifies your emotional response, Mars helps us understand your reactionary response to those emotional triggers or how you take action when given a task. 
Understanding your Mars sign can help you know the best way for you to approach your workload. Do you need the pressure to perform and find duties to attack right away, like a fire sign? Or do you have more drive once you've taken a walk and eaten a good meal like an earth sign? Investigating the energy of your Mars sign can help you find peace when working in a scenario that goes against the nature of your ars sign (aka when we feel most uncomfortable). Being able to recognize why we feel uncomfortable or pressure helps us get through that discomfort easier. 

Ex. My Mars is in Libra. This is Mars’ least favourite place to be and causes my focus to be scattered. I need a comfortable environment, encouragement, and coffee to feel most productive. I also work best after I have talked to someone. Since I know the deep focus is hard for me, I don’t allow myself to get upset when I struggle with getting my tasks done. 

3) Using the daily moon
The Moon switches signs every 2.5 days. Recognizing these shifts can help us understand our underlying energy or activities throughout the week. For example, if the moon is in Cancer you may be more reflective or tired. It's a good time to clean your home. This just happened to me where the moon being in Cancer made me a bit more emotional when it came to communicating with ppl (aka sending out marketing emails at work), so I did what work was required of me to do on my own and then cleaned my house!
Some planners and calendars now include the daily moon, or you can get a daily moon app. 
This is also a helpful way to learn the energies of the zodiac signs as the Moon moves through them at least 1ce each month. 

Question 3: In relation to the above question, what are the personal practices you use daily or weekly when you're in a mode of anxiety or frustration? 

When I was beginning to practice astrology, I was so anxious all the time because I felt like I couldn't make sense of everything or a lot was going on energetically. I partnered this practice with mediation and a daily tarot pull which helped me a lot. This created space for me to have a quiet moment each day, and a daily tarot pull helped me put a theme or lesson to the day. Connecting with my spiritual beliefs and my spirit guides through these practices has been super important to me when dealing with my anxieties throughout my journey. 

After five years of practicing astrology, I often find myself looking at the chart of the moment in relation to my personal astrology when I am feeling frustrated or anxious. But this did come with practice. For example, Recognizing what sign was rising over the horizon in the moment could explain why I was feeling more emotional or restless. If it was a sign that was related to my 10th house, I would know that it was causing me to think about work etc. 
To help you do this first, save a picture of you natal chart to your phone. 2nd go to astro.com, they always have the chart of the moment up on the front page 3. Make a cheat sheet of what the houses and planets mean to help you interpret them. 

On astro.com you can also put the transiting planets on top of your natal chart for free, it is a little tricky to figure it out and may nto be mobile friendly. I purchased Astro Gold to do this on my phone easier, but it does have a larger fee. 

 

Question 4: I still get confused about how I need to look at multiple traditional "daily horoscopes" . Can you summarize the importance of understanding all three and why understanding them are so important to understanding yourself?

Yes! It is common in astrology to know your “Big Three” which is your Sun, Moon and Rising signs. These would be the multiple signs to look at a horoscope for. 
Looking at horoscopes for all three of these signs would provide a more detailed idea of your experience for that given period because they represent a different part of yourself—for example, your ego, your emotions, your personality.

 You need to keep in mind how the horoscopes for these signs would be applying to your reality differently. For example, when reading a horoscope for your moon sign, remember that those are themes that may show up emotionally and not necessarily your social environment that day, and your horoscope for your Sun sign may not have as deep of an emotional truth to it. 

Horoscopes for your sun sign often relate to general circumstances. 

Horoscopes for your moon sign would represent your emotional body and your reaction and responses to things. 

Horoscopes for your rising sing would identify energy that is obviously around you or that you are generating.

Understanding your placements in this way allows us to understand our complex natures, main characteristics and patterns better. In the example of looking at our daily horoscopes, it is helpful to look at all three to provide insight on these different parts of ourselves and how they are reacting to the present astrology. 

It is important to remember that astrology is a personal experience. However, in my personal experience - this can get exhausting!  At times, I have felt more drawn to read my Rising or Moon sign horoscopes and not my Sun sign. So it is important to remember that there is no rule to looking at your placements for horoscopes but trust your gut and intuition! If you read a Sun sign horoscope and need more information, look at one of the other two for example. There really are no set of rules. Don't be afraid to make your own rules, especially if it feels overwhelming to look at all three.

Question 1: I just had the eclipses in my 1st and 7th house (Gemini and Sagittarius). Relationships were a major focus, but nothing romantically came out of it. Just a potential. With the eclipses moving into my 6th and 12th house, does this mean the focus will shift and the potential romantic connection will fade? Or not become a thing until the eclipse move in my 5th house of romance? Eclipses and the major life changes they create confuse me, Sarah.

Hi Ashley! Thank you for your question. You will experience the last of these eclipses on December 4th, followed by a Full Moon in Gemini on the 18th. The Nodes themselves (which indicate the eclipses) shift a month later, on January 19th. The energy of change brought on by eclipse season is more subtle, and the transformation will be seen over time rather than in an instant. Sometimes we hear stories of that sudden change, but that could have other astrological factors. I like to think of the eclipses as working to plant seeds for that change. For example, over the two years of the eclipse cycle, the soil needs to be prepared, the tools need to be brought out, the hole dug, and then the seed is gently placed and covered up, ready to grow. This process is very different from plopping a seed into the ground and hoping for the best. Thinking about the eclipse cycle in this way suggests that the most significant change in your life areas of Self and Relationships will occur within six months after December 4th. The previous eclipses in this area are essential to reflect on. How have you felt about your relationships and yourself over the past two years? What do you want to see change? You probably have these answers ready to go because of the drama and emotions the eclipses have stirred up. The past eclipses have primed you for the change about to come! 

While the eclipse cycle in your 1st and 7th house will end, because of the nature of the eclipses you will experience a lot of growth in these areas over the following year. Pay close attention to the 2022 New and Full Moons in Sagittarius and Gemini. I suggest you also pay close attention to Virgo and Pisces Season as well. You have a Stellium and T Square relating to your Sun, Moon, Mercury and Virgo, which makes it another prominent area to evaluate on aspects of the self and relationships. Pisces Season specifically highlights your 7th house regarding these signs (in a style of chart division where your 1st house is ruled by your Sun or Moon - in your case both- in Virgo, Pisces would rule your 7th House).


Question 2: Should I apply for a new job now? 
Hi Alex! 
Funnily enough, Mars, the planet of action is currently in your 10th house of Career, opposite to Uranus the planet of sudden change. This can mean a few things, but a simple answer would be yes, this is a great time to look for another job! 

This alignment of the planets is prompting you to feel the need to make a change. It can also produce restlessness and anxiety, so it is wise to think through your choices, create pros and cons lists etc. These aspects suggest that it will take a bit more time for the change to come, but it is an excellent time to initiate it.

I’ve spoken to you personally, and SEVERAL interesting astrological aspects are hitting your chart concerning Career, Home and Family, Self and Relationships - all of which I know are part of this theme of looking for new jobs. Saturn is sitting on top of your Ascendant right now, making self reflection and assuredness a little more complicated. In other words, the pressure of having to make life-changing decisions is bringing you down. You need to create some mental space and decide just to be confident with the decision you choose to make. Saturn loves when we take authority, so try your best to channel your inner authority over your own life. OMG, I just realized the word “authority” has the word Author in it because we are the Authors of what we take authority on. WOW. Did everyone else know this? 
Anyways, the months surrounding your birthday will be crucial to this change as they also welcome your Saturn return. This generates a lot of fundamental change. People often experience moves, job changes and relationships changes at the time of their Saturn Return. All of which are starting to begin with you right now. This is just the beginning of some wider change your will experience. 
​

I was reminded of something very important about planetary retrogrades today. Retrogrades occur regularly, and we may often find ourselves recognizing a pattern in our life struggles that correlate with the retrogrades. In this article I want to break down the meaning of each planetary RX, their shadow and what patterns you would be addressing during these periods. First, I want to clarify a few things. 

Retrograde is when a planet looks like they are moving backward in degree from the POV on earth. No, they do not actually move backward, the backward motion is technically an optical illusion due to the nature of the orbit being and oval or ecliptic (higher and lower on different sides) and therefore being on a different track than earth. The retrograde ends when the earth and the planet are now on different sides of the track where the planet is no longer looking like it is moving backwards. 

You can think of it like two trains on separate tracks, one train is on a fast track the other experiences hills or mountains where that train moves slower. as the first train remains on the fast track and the other slows down it looks like it is moving backward.

Shadow Periods are being discussed a lot more this year, this is because a lot more people are looking to astrology for their personal healing! The Shadow period of retrograde helps us acknowledge the shift and time of change and integration rather than assuming "Hey, retrogrades done lets go back to normal now!" And being faced with even more obstacles because we are resisting change. The Shadow begins when a planet reaches a degree that will eventually be the last degree the planet retrogrades to, and it ends when the planet reaches the last degree it reached before its retrograde. For example. Mercury moves through Gemini and begins its retrograde at 5 degrees, in 3 weeks it retrogrades into 19 degrees in Taurus before stationing Direct. This would mean that the shadow period began at 19 degrees Taurus and ends when it reaches 5 degrees Gemini again. 

Here is a diagram from www.evolvingdoor.ca/miscarticles/rxstation.htm for a great visual! And below that a tweet with a very helpful graphic of understanding our solar systems orbit. 

Mercury RX. 
Mercury RX happens every 3 months - we basically get a Mercury RX every Season (Winter, Spring, Summer Fall that is). Every 3 months you may notice a personal issue comes to a tipping point. For example: personal breakdowns about your romantic life every 3 months, work stress culminating every 3 months, anxiety at an all time high every 3 months etc. 

This is Mercury RX trying to get you to fix a problem. I am not talking about "every three months I get into a fight with my partner so we must break up to fix it" I am talking about fixing the internal reasons for those tears, anxiety or stresses. After all, retrogrades represent turning inwards.

Mercury specifically brings up a lot of topics around self communication and perception of the world around you. As the planet of communication and processing information Mercury RX can be a lot to handle because we receive contradictory information or feelings that challenge our perception of the world, or situations that we feel "safe" in. Retrogrades are the cosmos pushing us to challenge ourselves and grow. This is why if you ignore any shadow work or personal development during retrogrades, that theme is surely to come around again and again. 

Mercury RX Shadow lasts about 2.5 weeks before retrograde and 2.5 weeks after thanks to mercury moving the fastest. Lets do some math. give or take Mercury Rx and shadow last 8 weeks, it occurs 4 times a year 9x4=32. there are 52 weeks in a year. This means that over half of the calendar year is spent under the influence of Mercury retrograde and its shadow. This is why I believe keeping up with personal development practices and regular self reflection are known to benefit people. 

Venus Rx. 
Venus stations retrograde every 18 months or Year and a Half for about 6-7 weeks. With a 4 week shadow before and after Venus Rx's influence totals to 3.5 months every 18 months. 

Venus Rx and its shadow get us to reflect on our sense of pleasure and love. During this cycle we can not help but think about our relationships and the balance between them. If there is an imbalance of give and take in relationships it is certainly going to be prominent during a Venus RX. 

Venus RX stirs the pot to help us evaluate what makes us feel good and fulfilled. not only will we ask ourselves if relationships are providing equal support but we will be asked: Is your job providing you with satisfaction? Does the environment/space/house you live in feel comfortable? Do you like the way you feel in your body?

Venus RX wakes up our tactile senses and we often find ourselves re-inventing something. Buying that new car that drives smoother, treating ourselves to a re-vamped wardrobe or new hair cut. We are invited to look at material things and how they provide us with happiness, confidence and pleasure as well. 



Mars Rx
The planet of War, Action and Reaction, Mars, retrogrades only every 2 years. When Mars stations retrograde we are being asked to evaluate our actions over the past 2 years and evaluate where we need to change. Mars rules our action and reactions or our motivation behind these so we also need to use the Mars retrograde period to evaluate what truly is motivating us. 

This often brings with it a shift in our perception. If mars Rx is accompanied by Mercury in the communication zones of your chart a Mars retrograde can be particularly potent in re-wiring your habits. 

Mars' retrograde time usually last about 3 months, with the before and after shadow periods accumulating to a total of 7 months under Mars RX energy every 2 years. 

Jupiter Rx
Jupiter Retrograde is an interesting one to look at. Jupiter rules the energy of expansion, abundance and joy. We experience its retrograde once a year for 4 months, with the pre and post Rx shadow periods its influence is around for 9.5 months out of the year. That is only 2.5 months a year with no influence of Jupiter Rx! No wonder humans are constantly searching for happiness and more joy/abundance/prosperity! Could it be because Jupiter Rx influences a huge chunk of the year and we are not always aware of its influence? 

This is a great example of how astrology can be used to correctly use the collective energy. When Jupiter is in retrograde we are asked to reflect on our joy and explore new things that make us happy or feel expansive! In the Culture we live in today we can often feel limited by the structures society puts on us. Jupiter Rx asks us to find the abundance with in our selves. Jupiter Rx can be used to deeply develop different areas of your life and call in growth where it is needed. Every year Jupiter would hit a different life area (astrological house) in your chart and this can indicate which area to focus your growth and abundance on in that year. 


Saturn Rx 
While Jupiter allows us to look beyond the structures society puts on us, Saturn asks us to look directly at them. Saturn is the planet of authority, discipline, structure and limits. Saturn also retrogrades every 12 months, and last about 4.5 months allowing its shadow periods to elongate its influence over the course of 11 months. Yes. Technically speaking there is only 3.5 ish weeks a year where we are not in the degrees of Saturn Rx's influence. 
But this does not mean we are constantly in Saturn Rx energy. This means that like with Jupiter each year carries an underlying theme for us connected to Saturn Rx.

These themes usually have to do with us setting boundaries. When we are in Pre-Rx Shadow situations will come up to shake us up and get us thinking, maybe we set some trial boundaries. Then in the 4 months of Saturn RX we are forced to look at our inner and outer world and set firm boundaries to address our limitations. We may also find ourselves called to restructure our lives in some way (again, this could be relevant to the life area (astrological house) highlighted in your chart by the sign that Saturn is in). Then in the post retrograde shadow we begin to integrate these changes and ideas we confronted in retrograde. Depending on where the other planets are Saturn Rx Shadow can actually bring more change in our material world since we are more ready to make desicions and integrate what we have learned. 


The Outer Planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto also station Retrograde but for longer periods as they are a further distance from earth. I didn't include them in this article since I want to study more about their influences. Right now I find that the Inner Planets and their Retrograde Cycles have the most relevant influences to those who read my content :) 

Stay tuned for more!  

"New Moon Flu" was a term I heard floating around when I was getting my Moonlogist Certification. I was reluctant to believe it was real - the moon having such an affect on my body. But boy have themes last 6 months proved me wrong. 

I want to share my particular experience with the most recent New Moon in Libra October 2021. I was on an upward trajectory - finally getting into routines and actively practicing mindsets that were healthy and keeping me from an anxiety spiral. I felt like nothing could stop me I was finally stepping into an energy I have been trying so hard to get to.

In comes the New Moon. October 6th hit me like a bag of bricks with migraines, allergies and yes, an anxiety spiral. I was actually shocked. Normally, I only get migraines due to hormones and I had just finished a successfully pain free period cycle. What was going on? 
And then I remembered about the New Moon Flu, was this what that was? The physical affects that the moon brings are said to be reminders for people to turn inward. Was this a sign to step away from my virtual work world and relax? What do I need to turn inward about? I looked at my astrology and the New Moon in Libra was Activating my 12th house from my Moon Sign, my 8th house from my Rising Sign and my 3rd House from my Sun Sign.  This is a nasty combination of house activations that calls upon some inner reflection - and yes, I was ignoring it. 

These symptoms of the New Moon Flu did not stop after the 6th, I got so frustrated, what was i doing wrong and why was the New Moon, a astrological time for manifesting pulling me out of this perfect rhythm and routine I had going to be on track for my dream life? This is when I remembered another thing about astrology - like in life, nothing is permanent and the ever shifting energies of the skies remind us of that. This was a perfect example. 

I participate in other spiritual practices so, I consulted my guides, meditated di some tarot cards and the messages I received reminded me that this New Moon Flu experience was not a set back but a reminder of what I do not want, offering me space to be shown an evaluate the importance of the habits I couldn't give 100% to while feeling low. ( I also think Saturn had something to do with it since she is so close to station direct that this was one last curve ball thrown at me to make sure I committed to specific structures in my life).

My new assumption is that the New Moon Flu hits you when you need it most. Sometimes it is to step away physically and mentally, other times it is a reminder of what a regression in progress means to you or both! My tip for you is to recognize what life areas you struggle the most with (look up the Astrological Houses) and prepare for the Moon Cycle that activates those houses, allow yourself the time to be slow, fail or falter. Accept the process. 

Love,
​Sarah 

Now that we are on the other side of the Summer solstice, I want you to reflect on something. Your astrological Sect.
To put it simply, Sect is if you have a day or night natal chart. To be extra specific, in your natal chart is your Sun sign located in the bottom half of the chart (if so, you have a night chart) or the top half of the chart (if so, you have a day chart). The Summer solstice on June 21st marked the brightest day of the year, and the following days mark us moving toward the darkness again as we approach the winter solstice in 6 more months.

I want you to pay attention the upcoming weeks and months and notice, which period (before or after the solstice) felt more fruitful or focused? Which period did you have more energy and which period made you the most uncomfortable?  This may correlate to Sect.
If you are of the Day Sect and have your Sun sign located in the top half of your chart, the months pre-solstice may have proven more fruitful to you and the upcoming months may grow more and more contrary to your sect (as we go into darkness). This can make the upcoming months more uncomfortable and mentally intense as we are called to make more personal, emotional and spiritual adjustments.
​
If you are of the Night Sect the gradual movement towards winter may work in your favor. The solstice may have acted as a portal where immense stress and discomfort culminated around June 20-22 and now you are on the other side. As we move toward the winter those of the night sect may find more harmony, easy movement and confidence. At least, more so compared to what was experienced in the last 6 months.
 
Love Note: This short article is based off of personal musings from my own astrological studies interpretations and intuitive messages. I personally believe that there is not right or wrong with astrology but that there are endless perceptions and if the point – of – view is for the reader they will know. Feel free to share your perspectives and comparisons. Even if you think there are contradictions, speak up! This way we can all experiment and learn with astrology.

Sarah